Machine for the automatic cutting of striped or checked fabric or fabric with printed panels

Description

[0001] This document regards the textiles machinery sector and refers particularly to a machine for the automatic cutting of striped or checked fabric or fabric with printed panels according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A machine of this kind is known, for example, from document EP 0 457 300 A2.

[0003] When it is necessary to simultaneously cut several ovedapping layers of these types of fabric forming a mattress, the various layers of fabric must be perfectly aligned to obtain a high quality finished product.

[0004] Currently, the cutting of striped or checked fabric or fabric with printed panels can be carried out in various ways, in situations involving a mattress composed of several overlapping layers of fabric on tables or benches equipped with a series of retractable or externally positioned needles which keep the patterns on the various layers of fabric correctly aligned. This laying out of the mattress on the needles is known as "tapping" the fabric. Using a manual, rotary or alternative cutters, a rough cut is made from which to cut the pieces. The more precisely cut pieces are retapped and trimmed using chain saws and templates.

[0005] There are also automatic machines equipped with shears for cutting out fabric pieces for the creation of garments. These machines have brushed surfaces onto which the mattresses of fabric to be cut are lain, and motorised axes to which the alternately vertically movable cutting tool is mounted.

[0006] Depending on the cycle programmed into the machine, the electronically controlled axes are capable of automatically cutting the shapes created according to the sizes and models given. The brush surface enables the cutting tool, during alternate vertical movement, to remain constantly below the base surface on which the mattress of fabric is lain. Moving between the bristles of the brushes when forming the figures.

[0007] To hold the layers of fabric forming the mattress in place during the cutting operation, these machines are equipped with a very powerful suction system to create a vacuum around the mattress, preventing it from moving. For this reason the mattress is covered with a sheet of lightweight plastic material (carthene). The mattress of layers of fabric is usually carried to the cutting machine by a conveyor belt.

[0008] During transportation to the cutting area, the overlapping layers might move and, even if this movement is just slight, when they are locked in place by suction, they may be misaligned. In the automatic cutting of fabric tapped with needles there is difficulty in transporting the mattresses from the table to the layout bench and to the cutting area caused by the presence of the needles. So the needles have to be removed before transferring the mattress to the cutting machine.

[0009] The aim of this project is to provide a machine for automatically cutting striped or checked fabric or fabric with printed panels according to the preamble of claim 1, in which the mattress of layers of fabric to be cut is transported to the cutting area while being held in place with a series of needles, in other words, while it is tapped.

[0010] Yet another aim is to increase the production capacity of the cutting machine and drastically reduce the time required to cut the fabric.

[0011] These aims are achieved with an automatic cutting machine according to claim 1.

[0012] Further details of the project will become clearer as the description continues with reference to the drawings enclosed, which are to be considered mere drafts and not binding in any way, and include:

Figure 1, which shows a plan as seen from above of the automatic fabric cutting machine equipped with a bench equipped with brushes and needles;

Figure 2, which shows a plan as seen from above of the automatic fabric cutting machine prepared to receive a trolley carrying a bench equipped with brushes and retractable needles;

Figure 3, which shows a plan as seen from above of the machine shown in

Figure 2 prepared to receive a trolley canying a standard conveyor belt for feeding in mattresses made of standard fabrics;

Figure 4, which shows a needle inserted into a mat of brushes in a first formation;

Figure 5, which shows a needle inserted into a mat of brushes in a second formation;

Figure 6, which shows a needle inserted into a mat of brushes in another formation;

Figure 7, which shows a plan as seen from above of the means of inserting and extracting the needles shown in Figure 6 into and from the mat of brushes.

[0013] In these drawings the number 11 is used to indicate a machine for the automatic cutting of overlapping layers of fabric forming a mattress.

[0014] The machine includes a bench (12) made up of a mat of brushes (26) onto which the mattress (13) of fabric to be cut is lain, a system of electronically-controlled orthogonal axes (14) positioned above said bonch (12) for the movement of a cutting blade held by a special head (15) according to a cycle programmed into the machine, a conveyor belt (16) for unloading the fabrics which have been cut and a suction system (not shown) positioned under the bench (12).

[0015] According to the project, at least a part (12') of the bench (12) with brushes is equipped with a series of retractable needles (17), which emerge from the mat of brushes (26), for tapping the fabrics used to make up the mattress which features stripes, checks or printed panels. The needles are housed in needle bushes (18, 18' and 18") positioned in the required points of the bench, destined for crossovers.

[0016] Preferably - Figure 4 - the needles (17) can be inserted into and extracted from the upper part of the related bush (18) housed in the bench (12).

[0017] Preferably - Figure 5 - the needles are made from flexible material and the related bushes (18') have a curved lower end which can be used to insert them into or extract them from the bench (12) either in parallel or from above.

[0018] Preferably - Figures 6 and 7 - the needles (17) are fastened into the respective needle bushes (18") which are vertically moveable compared with the bench (12) between a raised position, in which the needles emerge from the mat of brushes, and a lowered position, in which the needles emerge below the mat of brushes. These bushes are moved by a mechanical system controlled from outside the bench. In particular, each needle bush (18") has a toothed rack (19) destined to fit into a corresponding pinion or toothed reel (21) along a respective horizontal shaft (20) ending outside the bench (12) with a manoeuvring device. As shown in Figure 7, a control shaft (20) can activate several needle bushes (18").

[0019] According to the project, the bench (12') equipped with retractable needles is positioned on a trolley (23) and the cutting machine (11) has a U-shaped extension for receiving the trolley (23) at the opposite side to the conveyor belt.

[0020] Once fitted inside the extension (24), the trolley (23) becomes an integrated part of the machine and can be reached by the cutting blade, the suction system for blocking the overlain mattress and by any other devices fitted to the machine.

[0021] This solution makes it possible to increase the production capacity of the cutting line as, having several trolleys equipped with brushes and needles, it is possible to prepare another mattress on a trolley which can be immediately inserted in the machine as soon as the first is removed. In this way the cutting machine is never idle and its capacity is exploited to the full.

[0022] To enable the machine configured in this way to operate normally, for cutting fabrics without stripes, checks or printed panels, and therefore not requiring the use of tapping needles, it is possible to make a trolley bearing a conveyor belt (25) instead of a bench of brushes and needles - Figure 3. Once inserted into the cutting machine extension (24), this trolley will transport the standard mattresses onto the bench of brushes (12) which is usually fitted to the machine.

[0023] In order to enable the cutting tool to move under the surface on which the fabric mattress is lain, it is possible to replace the brushes with a polystyrene panel, which can obviously only be used once.

[0024] The machine in question operates intuitively: after laying out the fabric on the mat of brushes equipped with needles, either integrated into the machine or positioned on a trolley, and after forming a mattress made up of several layers of fabric, it is covered with a layer of carthene. The suction device is activated, creating a vacuum which locks the mattress in place while it is still tapped by the needles.

[0025] At this point the needles can be extracted using any of the aforementioned methods in order to allow the passage of the cutting blade according to the geometry of the garment to be made.

[0026] The machine described here would make it possible to fully eliminate the problem created by the shifting of stripes on the fabric during the transferral of the mattress from flat outside tables to the automatic machine mats, obtaining high-precision cutting which would also make it possible to avoid the rough cutting, retapping and trimming phases.

[0027] Obviously the CAD positioning of the tapped figures is prepared for this type of cutting.

Claims

1. Machine for the automatic cutting of striped or checked fabric or fabric with printed panels, including a bench (12) made up of a mat of brushes (26) onto which several overlapping layers of fabric to be cut are lain, forming a mattress, a system of electronically-controlled orthogonal axes (14) positioned above said bench (12) for the movement of a cutting blade held by a special head (15) according to a cycle programmed into the machine, a conveyor belt (16) for unloading the fabrics which have been cut and a suction system positioned under the bench to block the mattress in place during the cutting operation, wherein at least part (12') of said bench is equipped with a series of retractable needles (17) for tapping the mattress to be cut, which emerge from the mat of brushes (26) to block the fabrics in place before the cutting operation and can be extracted from the mat of brushes to enable the passage of the cutting blade between the bristles of the brushes during the cutting operation, characterised in that said part (12') of the bench (12) equipped with the needles (17) is positioned on a trolley (23) which can be moved around the cutting machine and in that the cutting machine has a U-shaped extension (24) for receiving the trolley (23) at the opposite side to the conveyor belt (16).

2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein said trolley (23), once fitted inside said extension (24), is reached by said special head (15) and by said suction system.

3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said needles are moveably housed in needle bushes (18, 18', 18") positioned in the required points of said part (12') of the bench (12).

4. Machine according to claim 3, wherein said needles (17) can be inserted into and extracted from the top of the related bushes (18).

5. Machine according to claim 3, wherein said needles (17) are flexible and wherein said related bushes (18') have a curved lower end which can be used to insert or extract the needles parallel to said part (12') of the bench (12).

6. Machine according to claim 3, wherein said bushes (18") are vertically moveable compared with said part (12') of the bench (12) between a raised and a lower position.

7. Machine according to claim 6, wherein each bush (18") has a toothed rack (19) intended to fit into a corresponding pinion or toothed reel (21) along a respective horizontal shaft (20) ending outside said part (12') of the bench (12) with a manoeuvring device for rotation and consequent vertical movement of the associated bush.

8. Machine according to anyone of the previous claims, using a polystyrene panel as the surface upon which to lay the mattress of fabric on the bench (12) instead of the mat of brushes.

9. Machine according to anyone of the previous claims, including at least one trolley (23) bearing a conveyor belt (25) to be inserted into the cutting machine extension (24) to feed the machine with mattress of fabric which do not require the use of tapping needles.

Ansprüche

1. Maschine für das automatische Schneiden von gestreiften oder karierten Stoffen oder Stoffen mit bedruckten Feldern, umfassend einen Tisch (12), der aus einer Matte aus Bürsten (26) aufgebaut ist, auf den mehrere übereinanderliegende Stoffbahnen, die zugeschnitten werden sollen, gelegt werden, und einen Stapel bilden, ein System von elektronisch gesteuerten orthogonalen Achsen (14), das oberhalb des Tisches (12) zum Bewegen einer Schneidklinge angeordnet ist, die durch einen speziellen Kopf (15) gehalten ist, entsprechend einem Zyklus, der in die Maschine einprogrammiert ist, ein Transportband (16) zum Entladen der Stoffbahnen, die geschnitten worden sind, und ein Saugsystem, das unterhalb des Tisches angeordnet ist, um den Stapel während des Schneidvorgangs in Position festzusetzen, wobei wenigstens ein Abschnitt (12') des Tisches mit einer Serie von zurückziehbaren Nadeln (17) zum Halten des zuzuschneidenden Stapels ausgestattet ist, die aus der Matte aus Bürsten (26) austreten, um die Stoffbahnen vor dem Schneiden in Position festzusetzen und in die Matte aus Bürsten wieder zurückziehbar sind, um den Durchlass der Schneidklinge zwischen den Borsten der Bürsten während des Schneidvorgangs zu ermöglichen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Abschnitt (12') des Tisches (12), der mit den Nadeln (17) ausgestattet ist, auf einem Transportwagen (23) angeordnet ist, der um die Schneidvorrichtung bewegt werden kann, und dass die Schneidvorrichtung eine U-förmige Verlängerung (24) zur Aufnahme des Transportwagens (23) an der dem Transportband (16) abgewandten Seite aufweist.

2. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei der Transportwagen (23), nachdem er in die Verlängerung (24) eingeführt ist, von dem speziellen Kopf (15) und dem Saugsystem erreichbar ist.

3. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei die Nadeln in Nadelbüchsen (18, 18', 18"), die an erforderlichen Positionen des Abschnitts (12') des Tisches (12) angeordnet sind, beweglich aufgenommen sind.

4. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 3, wobei die Nadeln (17) in die zugehörigen Büchsen (18) von deren Oberseite aus einführbar und aus diesen herausziehbar sind.

5. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 3, wobei die Nadeln (17) flexibel sind und wobei die zugehörigen Büchsen (18') ein gebogenes unteres Ende aufweisen, das verwendet werden kann, um die Nadeln parallel zu dem Abschnitt (12') des Tisches (12) einführen oder herausziehen zu können.

6. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 3, wobei die Büchsen (18'') relativ zum Abschnitt (12') des Tisches (12) zwischen einer oberen und einer unteren Position verti-kal beweglich sind.

7. Maschine gemäß Anspruch 6, wobei jede Büchse (18'') eine Zahnstange (19) aufweist, die zum Eingriff in ein zugehöriges Ritzel oder verzahnten Wellenabschnitt (21) entlang einer zugehörigen horizontalen Welle (20) gedacht ist, welche außerhalb des Abschnitts (12') des Tisches (12) in einer Manövriervorrichtung zur Rotation und folgender vertikaler Bewegung der zugehörigen Büchse endet.

8. Maschine gemäß einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei eine Polystyrenplatte als Oberfläche verwendet wird, auf die der Stapel aus Stoffbahnen auf dem Tisch (12) anstelle der Matte aus Bürsten angeordnet wird.

9. Maschine gemäß einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, umfassend wenigstens einen Transportwagen (23), der ein Transportband (25) trägt, das in die Schneidvorrichtungsverlängerung (24) einführbar ist, um den Stapel aus Stoffbahnen, die keine Festsetznadeln benötigen, der Maschine zuzuführen.

Revendications

1. Machine de découpe automatique d'étoffe rayée ou à carreaux ou d'étoffe comportant des panneaux imprimés, comprenant un banc (12) constitué d'un ensemble de brosses (26) sur lequel plusieurs couches superposées d'étoffe devant être découpée s'étendent, en formant un matelas, un système d'axes orthogonaux commandés électroniquement (14) positionnés au-dessus dudit banc (12) en vue du déplacement d'une lame de coupe maintenue par une tête spéciale (15) conformément à un cycle programmé dans la machine, une courroie de transport (16) destinée à décharger les étoffes qui ont été découpées et un système d'aspiration positionné sous le banc pour bloquer le matelas en place durant l'opération de découpe, où au moins une partie (12') dudit banc est équipée d'une série d'aiguilles rétractables (17) destinées à percer le matelas devant être découpé, lesquelles émergent de l'ensemble de brosses (26) pour bloquer les étoffes en place avant l'opération de découpe et peuvent être retirées de l'ensemble de brosses pour permettre le passage de la lame de coupe entre les poils des brosses durant l'opération de découpe, caractérisée en ce que ladite partie (12') du banc (12) équipée des aiguilles (17) est positionnée sur un chariot (23) qui peut être déplacé autour de la machine de découpe et en ce que la machine de découpe comporte une extension en forme de U (24) destinée à recevoir le chariot (23) au niveau du côté opposé de la courroie de transport (16).

2. Machine selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle ledit chariot (23), une fois monté à l'intérieur de ladite extension (24), est atteint par ladite tête spéciale (15) et par ledit système d'aspiration.

3. Machine selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans laquelle lesdites aiguilles sont logées de façon mobile dans des douilles d'aiguilles (18, 18', 18'') positionnées à des points requis de ladite partie (12') du banc (12).

4. Machine selon la revendication 3, dans laquelle lesdites aiguilles (17) peuvent être insérées dans et retirées de la partie supérieure des douilles associées (18).

5. Machine selon la revendication 3, dans laquelle lesdites aiguilles (17) sont flexibles et dans laquelle lesdites douilles associées (18') présentent une extrémité inférieure courbe qui peut être utilisée en vue de l'insertion ou du retrait des aiguilles de façon parallèle à ladite partie (12') du banc (12).

6. Machine selon la revendication 3, dans laquelle lesdites douilles (18'') sont mobiles verticalement par comparaison à ladite partie (12') du banc (12) entre une position relevée et une position inférieure.

7. Machine selon la revendication 6, dans laquelle chaque douille (18'') comporte une crémaillère à dents (19) prévue pour s'adapter dans un pignon ou une roue dentée correspondant (21) le long d'un axe horizontal respectif (20) aboutissant à l'extérieur de ladite partie (12') du banc (12) avec un dispositif de manoeuvre destiné à une rotation et à un déplacement vertical résultant de la douille associée.

8. Machine selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, utilisant un panneau de polystyrène en tant que surface, sur laquelle repose le matelas d'étoffe sur le banc (12) à la place de l'ensemble de brosses.

9. Machine selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant au moins un chariot (23) portant une courroie de transport (25) à insérer dans l'extension (24) de la machine de découpe pour introduire dans la machine le matelas d'étoffe, ce qui ne nécessite pas l'utilisation d'aiguilles de perçage.

Drawing